Trenching and cable laying machine



Aug. 24, 1 A. G. SCHRAMM TRENCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1961 IN V EN TOR.

1965 A. G. SCHRAMM 3,201,948

TRENCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1965 A. G. SCHRAMM 3,201,948

TRENCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,201,948 TRENCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINE Arthur G. Schrarnm, 215 N. 28th St, Phoenix, Aria.

Filed May 4, E61, Ser. No. 187,828 6 Claims. (tit. til-72.6)

This invention concerns a trenching and cable laying machine.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a propelled machine which will dig a comparatively narrow ditch and direct a cable into the ditch and then refill the ditch and tamp the dirt down to grade;

Another object of the machine is to provide a means for making the self-propelled portion of the machine easily portable by folding up and elevating certain elements of the refill mechanism;

Still another object is to provide a means for steering the self-propelled portion of the machine either while digging or when in inoperative folded position;

Another object of the machine is to provide means for supporting the refill mechanism and tamping mechanism when in operation;

, cable is being laid;

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable means for supporting the refill mechanism in a manner so that it will not interfere with the operation of other parts of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for adding moisture to the removed dirt, before refilling for more effective compaction.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing object by means of the devices, parts and combinations of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the machine in operating position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the machine in a similar position;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the cable laying portion of the machine;

A FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the cable laying portion of the machine as shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of one of the tamping and refill wheel supports, drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale and with portions broken away to show interior construction;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the tamping mechanism, as viewed on line 6-6 of FIGURE 1, showing movement of the several parts in dotted outline;

FIGURE 7 is a section taken through the tamping mechanism. and drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a wheel axle driving mechanism and electrical connections used to connect or dis- I connect it from the drive shaft;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the driving wheels showing means for controlling the electrical brake, also the clutch mechanism shown in FIGURE 8 and showing an earth moistening device used in connection with the operation of the digging mechanism (stinger) previously described.

Similar parts are given similar numbers in the several views.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, which are the assembled views, 2 indicates the frame of the machine in general. 3 indicates an engine ormotor used to drive the several parts of the machine. 4 indicates the endless or digging bucket chain portion of the machine. 5 indicates the cable guide tube held by bracket 1249A which is attached to stretcher member 32. 6 indicates the rear refilling portion of the 3,261,948 Patented Aug. 24, 1965 machine including the spiral flights 7 which move the dirt from areas on each side of the ditch back to a central position over the ditch. 8 indicates the tamper in general and 9 is a driving mechanism for the tamper.

The cable to be laid is marked A and this, as shown in FIGURE 2, extends from a position in front of the ma chine frame 2 downward and rearward through a cable laying guide tube 12. It will be understood that the trench digger 4 consists of an endless chain belt 14 on which there are numerous buckets or scrapers 15 and that this chain belt is driven by a sprocket 16 indicated by dotted lead line shown in FIGURE 1 and solid lead line shown in FIGURE 2 which is pressed on shaft 17. The ends of shaft 17 are journalled in self-aligning enclosed bearings 18 and 13' which are attached to the side plates 2i and 20 which are a part of the frame 2. These plates are joined by suitable cross members 21 at the front and 22 at the top. Engine 3 is supported on this top plate 22. The engine is provided with a speed reduction gear in an enclosing case 24, and the drive through this mechanism comes out at shaft 25' which may be considered the main drive shaft. A hand operated clutch It may be used to connect and disconnect power from motor 3 to the drive mechanism 24. A sprocket it on the drive shaft 25 carries a chain 27 which runs over a sprocket 28 on the forward digger supporting shaft 17 which extends between the side plates 20 and 26) of the body 2. This shaft affords support for the digger 4, as well as providing driving means for rotating shaft 17 which operates the buckets of the digger. The digger chain 14 is supported between sprocket 16 on shaft 29, at the front, and a lower sprocket 30 at the rear. These sprockets are supported on bearings 31 and 31' which are joined by a stretcher member 32 and made adjustable by screw means 33. A clutch 35 is provided on shaft 25 to connect or disconnect operation movement of the digger chain.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the digger is pivotally supported at the forward end and adapted to movement upward out of the ditch B, as indicated by the arrow 34. Since the movement of the machine is from left to right, as viewed in FIGURE 2, it will be readily apparent that the earth C is dug and removed as the machine advances and that the earth is brought up to the surface by the digging buckets on the lower run 14c of the chain 14, forward flights 19 and 19 are spiral and pitched to carry the dirt from the edges of the ditch outward.

The cable A is fedthrough the tube or pipe 5 exits at A2 near the rear of the machine and is kept from chafing or dam-age by rollers 12a near both ends of the tube.

Above the rear of this tube there is a vertical scraper baflle 44 This is made of pliant flexible material such as comparatively stiff rubber belting and is made wide enough to extend across the width of the ditch B, and then have an excess width. This arrangement cramps the baffle somewhat and causes it to operate with an arcuate curve whereby its lateral edges slide along the inner faces of the ditch. This bafile prevents loose dirt from the back-fill from entering the ditch ahead of the cable guide 12. Otherwise, earth from the back-fill would enter the ditch before it should. A small spring steel scraper baffle 43 is attached to the under part of tube 12 and acts as a baflle or an earth guide to force loose earth forward and clean the bottom of the ditch at position 44. This keeps loose earth from falling back into and partially filling that portion of the ditch where the cable is being laid. This scraper may be known as a ditch bottom bafile scraper.

At the rear end of the body plates 20 and 20 there are pivot shafts 50 and 5%. Shaft 59 is live and is This shaft is driven by chain 54 from sprocket 55 on shaft 50. Shaft 50 is, in turn, driven by chain 56 from sprocket 57 on the digger shaft 29. ,Aclutch" 58 t is provided at the left end 'of shaft 29 to connect and disconnect sprocket 57 and thereby disconnect or operate 200 and the brake drum 202-are the rear flight 52, when desired, independently of'the operation of the stinger.

On the inner end of shaft '50 there is a sprocket 60 which drives chain 61" and sprocket-62 on ashaft 63 which is journalled in a U-shaped subframe 65. On shaft 63 there is an unbalancedweight'ofi which provides vibration for the back-fill tamper 8 carried onthe rear of subframe 65. It is to be understood that U-shaped frame 65 is pivotally supported on shafts 50 and 50? and the tamper 8 and its shaft 63 may therefore be varied vertically, or swing out of ditch B.

Tamper Sis made ofa plate 68 which is comparatively narrow but has a strip'of metal 69 attached to its rear and bottom edges- This aids in tamping by providing a wider face which will contact the earth.

At the rear end of the U-shaped frame D there are two i connected to a stubshaft 216which is journalled on ball bearings 217 and 218 within tubular axle 103. Thus, the-wheel 104, or its right'handcounter part, may be disconnected from the drive torque of axle tube shaft 103"by re1ea sing the shoes 203a.

7 Wheels 107 and 107 have hubs and drums the same as 104 and 104 .except that'their hubs are solid with the wheels and the brake shoes and mounting plates 240 and 240' are solid with stationary'stud axles 241 and-241'.

f In FIGURE-9 the front drive'wheels 104 and 104' are shown, together with portions of the frame 2, to'illustrate the parts upon which the electrical features operate, thus riding wheels 70 and 70' supportedlby springs 71 intuoular housings 72. The wheels are journalled in sliding members 73 which operate slidably up and down within the tubular supports 72.. Tension of the springs/71 is adjustably maintained by screws 74 which haveIcranks 75 at their top ends. In this way the riding wheels 70 and 70' are resiliently maintained in position and at the right height to,.carry the weight of the U-shaped frame D and the attached parts above mentioned. I

Propulsion of the'device is provided by power take" ofi chain which runs over a sprocket 101 on shaft a 25; A suitable clutch 102 cuts in or cuts out power from the forward sprocket 101.011 shaft 25 so that the propulan ordinary electrically operated brake 230 may be applied. to the rearward wheels 107 and'107 to brake either side of the body throughconductors 231 and 231' and the switches shown at 220 and 220. Whereas, the axle 1G3 maybe operatively connected to wheels 104 and 104- through the conductors 210 and 210 and through the switches 220 and 220, as desired. Although the drawing shows the details ofthis'structure only on the left hand side for wheels 104 and 107 it is to be understood that the I right hand counter part of this structure is the same; Electrical energy to operate the solenoids within the Wheels 104 and 104' aswell as brakes-230 and 2 30'is furnished from a battery 221 and controlled through a masterswitch 222..

In FIGURE 9 there is also 300whichhas a valve 391 connected through a T 302 to two spray pipes 303 and 303'. Spraynozzles 304 and 304 are positioned and directed downwardly at the ends of these spray pipes Pipe 300 is connected-to any, convenient source of water supply which is movable with sion means may be run independently of the digger 'opy eration.v

transmission gear box E. This box drives shaft 103 by means of sprocket 212 and chain 213. Shaft 103 drives both front or forward wheels 104 and 104. The front or forward wheel hubs 105 and 105' are provided with From chain 100 the power is transmitted to 1 the transmission shaft ltltla which'provides power. for

water'can be directed on the earth as it bubbles upward from the stinger 4. This helpsvsettle the earth when it is refilled into thetrench after the flights 52 have moved it stinger 4 may be pivoted on its drive shaft 29 and swung I up' and out of the ditch forwardly. This is accomplished by operating screw 235 which threads in a pivoted nut 236 stopping the drive wheels on one side of body Zand/or speeding up the drive-wheels. on the .opposite side. This is similar to the Way in which caterpillar tractor tread s are. operated. The details of this. drive and brake and, j.

control .of the right and left wheels, respectively, are shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. i

Each of the forward wheels 104- and l tl t i'is'provided I with a hub plate'2f00 which has a flange 201 "connected to a clutch housing drum 202. This drum contains clutch 'shoes 203 of the internal expansion type which are op- In FIGURE 8 note that the sprocket teeth 211 which conductor 205'which extends throughjan'insulating ring 206 on axle 103. Conductor 205 is brought outrto'a contact ring 207 on ring 206. This ring, is contacted by a brush 208. contained'within. an'insulating case209 and the brush is electrically. connected to a conductor 210 which leads to-the switches 220, necessary for its operation. Tubeaxle 103 carries a E to the engine 3. The axleis journalled'in bearing 214 so that it is supported on frame side plate 20. It is to be noted that axle 1 03 is hollowland that the wheel hub and has its lower end attached to an offset pivot 237 'which is eccentrical ly positioned relative to the stinger "driveshaftf r When the machine is not. operated and thestinger is moved out of the ditch B the supports for the refilling mechanism and tamper maybe removed from the ditch by folding up the U-shaped frame -D and the partsattached Mechanism for the wheel drums to set and release the brakes which foperate on the drums; as shown in patents,

for example, to .Oetzel, No.:2,407-, 5l0 and 2,510,959; also the patent to Titus, No. 2,541,445 and Yost No. 2,426,135. Theserpatents show the mechanism of the type herein concerned andhave an earlier date'than'the filing date of the instant application T I claim: I 1, A trench and cable laying machine composed of a frame including two parallel laterally positioned and driving sprocket 212 which is a a 1 connected by a drive chain 213 and transmission gear, box

transversely-separated upright'side plate members, having connecting transverse topand front plates, said frame,

havingv frontfand' rearfwheels mounted on transverse shafts on said frame in tandem arrangement on each side thereof; the transverse shaft'to which the forward wheels are attached extending through said frame and having means for receiving driving motion; anengine mounted on said frame and attached through clutch means to said wheelsja transverse power-driven shaft journalled at its ends in said frame platemembers; an endless chain digger operated by said transver-sepower-driven shaft, a cable shown a Water supply'pipe positioning tube pivotally attached to said transverse power-driven shaft at its forward end and adapted to receive a cable to be laid in a trench formed by said digger, said tube extending downwardly and rearward-ly from said frame, rollers at the rear of said tube to minimize friction of a cable extending and running through said tube, a curved pliant baffie at the rear of said tube extending upwardly and laterally spanning the transverse width of said digger; having its edges pliantly bearing on the walls of said trench, a vibrating tamper positioned adjacent to and rearwardly of said baffle attached to a U-shaped frame, said U-shaped frame pivotally attached to the rear ends of said frame plate members and supporting said tamper, mechanical means on said U-shaped frame for vibrating said tamper a second U-shaped frame positioned outwardly of said first mentioned U-shaped frame and pivotally attached to said plate members, riding wheels vertically adjustable attached to the rear of said second U-shaped frame to support the weight of the rear of said second U-shaped frame, mechanism for driving said digger from said engine on said frame and mechanism for driving the tandem wheels on each side of said frame; said mechanism operable to drive either of the right or left forward wheels, as desired, and a rotary spiral scraper operating in the rear end of said second U-shaped frame having right and left spiral flight-s disposed on a transverse shaft in said frame and adapted to move dirt from each side of said ditch centrally and into said ditch.

2. The mechanism described in claim 1 wherein the bottom of the cable positioning tube is combined with a forwardly curved scraper for scraping rocks and loose dirt from the space in front of the cable positioning tube.

3. The mechanism described in claim 1 in combination with a water pipe attached to said frame having nozzles directed downwardly toward the top of said power driven digger.

4. A trench and cable laying machine composed of a A frame including two parallel laterally positioned and transversely separated plate members, and transverse top and front plates, said frame having a front part and a rear part, wheels mounted on transverse shafts on said frame in tandem arrangement on each side thereof, the transverse shaft to which the forward wheels are attached extending through said frame and having means for receiving driving motion; an engine mounted on said frame and attached through clutch means to said wheels; a transverse digger shaft journalled at its ends in said frame plates; an endless chain power driven digger operated by said transverse shaft, a cable positioning tube adapted to receive a cable to be laid in a trench formed by said powe driven digger, said tube extending downwardly and rearwardly from a place of attachment on said body frame, rollers at the rear of said tube to minimize friction of a cable extending and running through said tube, a curved baffle of pliant material at the rear of said tube extending upwardly and having its edges pliantly bearing on the walls of said trench, mechanism for driving said digger from said engine on said frame and mechanism for driving the tandem wheels on each side of said frame; said mechanism being operable to drive either of the right or left forward wheels, as desired, a U-shaped frame hav ing right and left spiral flights disposed on a transverse shaft in the first mentioned frame and adapted to move dirt from each side of said ditch centrally and into said ditch.

5. A trench and cable laying machine composed of a body frame including two parallel laterally positioned and transversely separated plate members, and transverse top and front plates, said frame having a front part and a rear part, wheels mounted on transverse. shafts on said frame in tandem arrangement on each side thereof, the transverse shaft to which the forward wheels are attached extending through said frame anh having means for r ceiving driving motion; an engine mounted on said frame and attached through clutch means to said wheel-s; a transverse digger shaft journalled at its ends in said frame plates; an endless chain digger stinger operated by said transverse shaft, a cable positioning tube adapted to receive a cable to be laid in a trench formed by said digger, said tube extendiny downwardly and rearwardly from a place of attachment on said body frame, rollers at the rear of said tube to minimize friction of a cable extending and running through said tube, a curved bafile at the rear of said tube extending upwardly and having its edges disposed to pliantly bear on the walls of said trench, mechanism for driving said digger from said engine on said frame and mechanism for driving the tandem wheels on each side of said frame; said mechanism being adapted to drive either of the right or left forward wheels, as desired, and brake mechanism selectively operable on the rear tandem wheels and electrical operating mechanism therefor including selective switches adapted to operate the brakes and clutches for either of the oppositely disposed rear wheels.

6. A trench and cable laying machine composed of a frame including two parallel laterally positioned and transversely separated plate members, and transverse top and front plates, said frame having a front part and a rear part, wheels mounted on transverse shafts on said frame in tandem arrangement on each side thereof, the transverse shaft to which the forward wheels are attached extending through said frame and having means for receiving driving motion; an engine mounted on said frame and attached through clutch means to said wheels; a transverse digger shaft journalled at its ends in said frame plates; a continuous chain digger operated by said transverse shaft, a cable positioning tube adapted to receive a cable to be laid in a trench formed by said digger, said tube extending downwardly and rearwardly from a place of attachment on said body frame, mechanism for driving said digger from said engine on said frame including a clutch for disconnecting said drive when desired and mechanism for driving the forward wheels of said tandem laterally positioned wheels including an electro-magnetic clutch contained within the wheels and operated by electrical means on the frame of said machine to connect and disconnect the electro-magnetic clutch means to a source of electricity; said mechanism being adapted to selectively drive and operate either of the right or left forward laterally positioned wheels as desired, and electro-magnetic brake mechanism in the rear tandem wheels independently operated by electrical switches from a source of energizing electric current disposed in the body of said machine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 946,609 1/ 10 Loomis 6172.1 X 11,337,184 4/20 Adams 61-72.6 1,829,162 10/31 Solter et al. 6172.6 2,118,553 5/38 Garlinger 6172.6 2,4 17,313 3 47 MacKinnon 61-725 X FOREIGN PATENTS 792,799 10/35 France. 1,*156,475 12/57 France.

410,900 5/34 Great Britain.

EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

I ACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner. 

1. A TRENCH AND CABLE LYING MACHINE COMPOSED OF A FRAME INCLUDING TWO PARALLEL LATERALLY POSITIONED AND TRANSVERSELY SEPARATED UPRIGHT SIDE PLATE MEMBERS, HAVING CONNECTING TRANSVERSE TOP AND FRONT PLATES, SAID FRAME HAVING FRONT AND REAR, WHEELS MOUNTED ON TRANSVERSE SHAFTS ON SAID FRAME IN TANDEM ARRANGEMENT ON EACH SIDE, THEREOF, THE TRANSVERSE SHAFT TO WHICH THE FORWARD WHEELS ARE ATTACHED EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAME AND HAVING MEANS FOR RECEIVING DRIVING MOTION; AN ENGINE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND ATTACHED THROUGH CLUTCH MEANS TO SAID WHEELS; A TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN DHAFT JOURNALLED AT ITS ENDS IN SAID FRAME PLATE MEMBERS; AN ENDLESS CHAIN DIGGER OPERATED BY SAID TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN SHAFT, A CABLE POSITIONING TUBE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN SHAFT AT ITS FORWARD END AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CABLE TO BE LAID IN A TRENCH FORMED BY SAID DIGGER, SAID TUBE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME, ROLLERS AT THE REAR OF SAID TUBE TO MINIMIZE FRICTION OF A CABLE EXTENDING AND RUNNING THROUGH SAID TUBE, A CURVED PLIANT BAFFLE AT THE REAR OF SAID TUBE EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND LATERALLY SPANNING THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF SAID DIGGER; HAVING ITS EDGES PLIANTLY BEARING ON THE WALLS OF SAID TRENCH, A VIBRATING TAMPER POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND REARWARDLY OF SAID BAFFLE ATTACHED TO A U-SHAPED FRAME, SAID U-SHAPED FRAME PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE REAR ENDS OF SAID FRAME PLATE MEMBERS AND SUPPORTING SAID TAMPER, MECHANICAL MEANS ON SAID U-SHAPED FRAME FOR VIBRATING SAID TAMPER A SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME POSITIONED OUTWARDLY OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED U-SHAPED FRAME AND PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID PLATE MEMBERS, RIDING WHEELS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME, MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SAID DIGGER FROM SAID ENGINE ON SAID FRAME AND MECHANISM FOR DRIVING THE TANDEM WHEELS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID FRAME; SAID MECHANISM OPERABLE TO DRIVE EITHER OF THE RIGHT OR LEFT FORWARD WHEELS, AS DESIRED, AND A ROTARY SPIRAL SCRAPPER OPERATING IN THE REAR END OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME HAVING RIGHT AND LEFT SPIRAL FLIGHTS DISPOSED ON A TRANSVERSE SHAFT IN SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO MOVE DIRT FROM EACH SIDE OF SAID DITCH CENTRALLY AND INTO SAID DITCH. 